US8863642B2 - Device for controlling the stroke of an actuator - Google Patents

Device for controlling the stroke of an actuator Download PDF

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Publication number
US8863642B2
US8863642B2 US12/998,114 US99811409A US8863642B2 US 8863642 B2 US8863642 B2 US 8863642B2 US 99811409 A US99811409 A US 99811409A US 8863642 B2 US8863642 B2 US 8863642B2
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Prior art keywords
stroke
flow rate
actuator
control valve
clutch
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US12/998,114
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US20110168011A1 (en
Inventor
Yoshihiro Takei
Yasushi Yamamoto
Hiroyuki Kawanishi
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Isuzu Motors Ltd
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Isuzu Motors Ltd
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Assigned to ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED reassignment ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: KAWANISHI, HIROYUKI, TAKEI, YOSHIHIRO, YAMAMOTO, YASUSHI
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D48/00—External control of clutches
    • F16D48/02—Control by fluid pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
    • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F15B21/00—Common features of fluid actuator systems; Fluid-pressure actuator systems or details thereof, not covered by any other group of this subclass
    • F15B21/08—Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means
    • F15B21/087—Control strategy, e.g. with block diagram
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D25/00—Fluid-actuated clutches
    • F16D25/08—Fluid-actuated clutches with fluid-actuated member not rotating with a clutching member
    • F16D25/088—Fluid-actuated clutches with fluid-actuated member not rotating with a clutching member the line of action of the fluid-actuated members being distinctly separate from the axis of rotation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D48/00—External control of clutches
    • F16D48/06—Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
    • F16D48/066—Control of fluid pressure, e.g. using an accumulator
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K11/00—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
    • F16K11/02—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
    • F16K11/06—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements
    • F16K11/065—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with linearly sliding closure members
    • F16K11/07—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with linearly sliding closure members with cylindrical slides
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
    • F16K31/02—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic
    • F16K31/06—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a magnet, e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid
    • F16K31/0603—Multiple-way valves
    • F16K31/061—Sliding valves
    • F16K31/0613—Sliding valves with cylindrical slides
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
    • F16K37/00—Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given
    • F16K37/0025—Electrical or magnetic means
    • F16K37/0041—Electrical or magnetic means for measuring valve parameters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D48/00—External control of clutches
    • F16D48/02—Control by fluid pressure
    • F16D2048/0209—Control by fluid pressure characterised by fluid valves having control pistons, e.g. spools
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D2500/00—External control of clutches by electric or electronic means
    • F16D2500/10—System to be controlled
    • F16D2500/102—Actuator
    • F16D2500/1026—Hydraulic
    • F16D2500/1027—Details about the hydraulic valves
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D2500/00—External control of clutches by electric or electronic means
    • F16D2500/30—Signal inputs
    • F16D2500/302—Signal inputs from the actuator
    • F16D2500/3022—Current
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D2500/00—External control of clutches by electric or electronic means
    • F16D2500/30—Signal inputs
    • F16D2500/302—Signal inputs from the actuator
    • F16D2500/3025—Fluid flow
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D2500/00—External control of clutches by electric or electronic means
    • F16D2500/30—Signal inputs
    • F16D2500/302—Signal inputs from the actuator
    • F16D2500/3026—Stroke
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D2500/00—External control of clutches by electric or electronic means
    • F16D2500/70—Details about the implementation of the control system
    • F16D2500/704—Output parameters from the control unit; Target parameters to be controlled
    • F16D2500/70402—Actuator parameters
    • F16D2500/7041—Position

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a device for controlling the stroke of an actuator that is driven by a fluid pressure by using a flow rate control valve like a clutch control device which automatically connects and disconnects a clutch provided in a vehicle by using a clutch actuator.
  • a representative example will be a so-called automatic transmission (AT) combining a torque converter and a planetary gear device together.
  • a power transmission device which uses a transmission of the type of parallel shaft gear mechanism similar to the so-called manual transmission (MT) in combination with an automatic clutch, is one of such automatic power transmission devices for vehicles.
  • a clutch disposed between an engine and a transmission is provided with a clutch actuator, and the clutch is automatically disconnected and connected at the time when the driver changes the speed by shifting the gear by using a shift lever or at the start of the vehicle eliminating the need of operating the clutch pedal by the driver.
  • a power transmission device which automatically shifts the gear depending upon the traveling condition of the vehicle by using an electronically controlled device obviating the need of operating the shift lever by the driver.
  • a clutch (dry type single disk clutch) installed between an engine and a transmission is provided with a clutch disk 101 which has a friction disk fixed to the peripheral portion thereof as shown in FIG. 4 .
  • the clutch is slidably spline fitted to a transmission input shaft 103 rotatably supported by a crankshaft 102 of the engine.
  • a pressure plate 105 is provided on the back of the friction disk of the clutch disk 101 to bring the friction disk into pressed contact with a flywheel 104 at the rear end of the crankshaft 102 .
  • a diaphragm spring 107 is attached to a clutch cover 106 that is fixed to the flywheel 104 . When the vehicle is normally traveling, the diaphragm spring 107 brings the clutch disk 101 into pressed contact with the flywheel 104 via the pressure plate 105 and, therefore, the engine power is transmitted to the transmission input shaft 103 via the clutch disk 101 .
  • the clutch is equipped with an operation mechanism for disconnecting and connecting the transmission of power, and the operation mechanism is constituted by a release bearing 108 fitted onto the transmission input shaft 103 , a release fork 109 , a clutch actuator 110 and the like.
  • the clutch actuator 110 is a fluid pressure cylinder operated by a pneumatic pressure or a hydraulic pressure, and its piston is coupled to one end of the release fork 109 . Provision is, further, made of a stopper 111 for mechanically limiting the movement in order to prevent the occurrence of damage to the clutch actuator 110 and the like caused by excessively large movement of the piston.
  • the working fluid is fed to the clutch actuator 110 to displace one end of the release fork 109 toward the right in the drawing.
  • the other end of the release fork 109 displaces toward the opposite direction, causing the release bearing 108 coming in contact therewith to slide leftward so that the diaphragm spring 107 moves as represented by a two-dot chain line in the drawing. Therefore, the spring force that pushes the pressure plate 105 is released, and the transmission of the engine power to the transmission input shaft 103 is cut off.
  • the working fluid in the clutch actuator 110 is discharged, and the release fork 109 is moved leftward by a return spring 112 or the like.
  • the state of connecting the clutch (rate of connection) is determined by the movement of the piston of the clutch actuator 110 , i.e., by the stroke of the clutch actuator.
  • the clutch must be disconnected and connected quickly without causing shift shock. Therefore, at the time of connecting again the clutch that is once disconnected after having shifted the gear (after the gears are engaged), the piston of the clutch, actuator 110 is, first, quickly moved in a direction of connection so as to quickly pass through an invalid region where the torque is not substantially transmitted, and the rate of connection is gradually increased in the so-called half-engage clutch region where the torque starts transmitting in order to avoid the shift shock caused by a sharp increase in the rate of connection as illustrated in a graph of FIG. 5 that shows changes in the stroke.
  • the above control is, in many cases, executed by a feedback control that varies the amount of the working fluid in the clutch actuator 110 depending upon a deviation from a target stoke by detecting, by using a stroke sensor 7 , a real stroke which is a practical displacement of the clutch actuator 110 so as to correctly control the stroke thereof.
  • a clutch control device which automatically disconnects and connects the clutch at the time of gear shifting is provided with a working fluid pressure source such as an air tank that feeds the working fluid, a stroke sensor for detecting the movement of the piston of the clutch actuator, and control valves for controlling the amount of the working fluid in the clutch actuator.
  • the clutch control device executes the clutch control at the time of gear shifting.
  • the control valves are arranged in the working fluid feed pipe and in the discharge pipe, respectively. The rate of connection of the clutch is controlled by opening and closing these two control valves.
  • the flow rate control valve 1 is connected to a communication passage 2 communicated with the clutch actuator 110 , to a pressure source passage 4 communicated with the working fluid pressure source 3 such as an air tank, and to a discharge passage 5 for discharging the working fluid from the clutch actuator 110 and, further, includes three ports, i.e., a communication port 2 p , a pressure source port 4 p and a discharge port 5 p formed therein and opened to the respective passages.
  • the flow rate control valve 1 of FIG. 6 is a proportional control valve of the type of slide valve equipped with a drive device of the type of electromagnetic solenoid which works as a valve actuator for operating a valve body 6 .
  • the flow control valve 1 has such flow rate characteristics that the flow rate of the working fluid that flows therethrough varies depending upon the position of the valve body 6 .
  • the amount of electric current flowing into the electromagnetic solenoid serves as an operation amount for varying the flow rate.
  • a flow rate control valve control device 9 is connected to the flow rate control valve 1 to set the position of the valve body 6 by controlling the amount of electric current to a coil 8 depending upon a deviation between a real stroke detected by the stroke sensor 7 and the target stroke.
  • the valve body 6 of the flow rate control valve 1 has two lands on the way thereof, one end of the valve body 6 being coupled to a moving yoke 10 of the electromagnetic solenoid.
  • a spring 11 is arranged at the other end of the valve body 6 , and the position of the valve body 1 is determined by a balance between the magnetic force acting on the moving yoke 10 and the resilient force of the spring 11 .
  • Described below is a relationship between the position of the valve body of the flow rate control valve 1 and the flow rate.
  • the valve body When the valve body is at the neutral position in FIG. 7( a ) in the flow rate control valve in which the length L of the land is the same as the width W of the communication port 2 p , the working fluid readily starts flowing if the valve body is deviated toward the right or the left from the neutral position.
  • the flow rate characteristics or the flow rate of the working fluid relative to the electric current flowing into the coil 8 become as represented by a solid line in FIG. 8 , and the neutral position at which the flow rate becomes 0 is limited to one point at which the amount of electric current to the coil 8 becomes 50%.
  • the amount of electric current to the coil 8 varies according to a pattern shown on the lower side in FIG. 5 .
  • Some flow rate control valves may have a length L of land which is larger than the width W of the communication port 2 p by only a small amount. In this case, the flow rate characteristics become as represented by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7 , and a so-called dead zone DZ is made present in which the flow rate remain unchanged despite the operation amount is varied.
  • the amount of electric current to the coil increases or decreases by only an amount that corresponds to one-half the width of the dead zone DZ.
  • a tail gate is provided at the rear end of the rear body of a truck to load and unload cargos on and off the rear body, and is moved up and down by also using a hydraulic pressure cylinder which is often controlled for its stroke by using a single flow rate control valve.
  • Patent Document
  • Patent document 1 Japanese Patent No. 3417823
  • FIG. 9 is a block diagram for controlling the stroke of the clutch actuator by feedback control.
  • a target stroke std is input to the control device, and a comparator unit subtracts a real stroke str that is detected by the stroke sensor and is fed back to calculate a deviation e between the two.
  • the deviation e is input to a PID operation unit where an amount proportional to the deviation e is found as a feedback operation amount.
  • To the feedback operation amount there are often added an amount obtained by integrating the deviation e with time and an amount obtained by differentiating the deviation e with time.
  • Operating the feedback operation amount in the PID operation unit represents finding the amount of electric current I corresponding to a flow rate Q that becomes the target stroke std after the passage of a predetermined period of time from the flow rate characteristics of FIG. 8 .
  • the feedback operation amount is calculated as the amount of electric current of a difference therefrom.
  • An operation amount is obtained by adding the reference electric current at the neutral position as a feed-forward amount to the feedback operation amount, and is input to a driver that feeds an electric current to the electromagnetic solenoid of a valve actuator.
  • the driver feeds the amount of electric current corresponding to the operation amount to the electromagnetic solenoid whereby the position of the valve body varies in the flow rate control valve, the amount of the working fluid in the clutch actuator is controlled, and the real stroke str comes into agreement with the target stroke std.
  • the flow rate control valves have been so designed that their flow rate characteristics representing relationships between the amount of electric current and the flow rate remain constant depending upon the types of the valves, and that the amounts of electric current remain constant at their neutral positions.
  • the individual flow rate control valves differ to some extent due to slight difference in the production process, and their flow rate characteristics differ to a slight degree from the designed characteristics depending upon the individual flow rate control valves.
  • even the same flow rate control valve may undergo a change in the flow rate characteristics due to secular change. For instance, a balance varies between the magnetic force of the electromagnetic solenoid and the spring due to secular change. In case the magnetic force has decreased, the solid line representing the flow rate characteristics in FIG. 10 moves toward the right (broken line X).
  • the present invention solves the above-mentioned problem that occurs when the stroke of the actuator is controlled by using a flow rate control valve having a neutral position, such as clutch control device and the like device, relying upon a simple means.
  • the present invention provides a feedback control device for controlling the stroke of an actuator, wherein a flow rate control valve control device is provided with a learning device that learns variation in the neutral position of a flow rate control valve, the operation amount of the learned neutral position is added to the feedback operation amount to control the flow rate control valve, and a difference in the flow rate characteristics is compensated to correctly control the stroke of the actuator relying on a simple means.
  • the present invention is concerned with a device for controlling the stroke of an actuator driven by a working fluid, wherein:
  • the feedback operation amount is operated as an amount proportional to a deviation between the real stroke of the actuator and the target stroke.
  • the invention is suitably adapted to a device for controlling the stroke of a clutch actuator for operating the clutch installed between an engine and a transmission in the power transmission device for vehicle.
  • the clutch actuator is provided with a stopper and the stroke thereof includes a limit stroke that is mechanically limited
  • the device for learning the neutral position executes the learning if the stroke of the clutch actuator is greater than a predetermined stroke but is smaller than the limit stroke as described in claim 4 .
  • the valve body in the flow rate control valve is displaced to one side from the neutral position to feed the working fluid, and is displaced to the other side to discharge the working fluid.
  • the flow rate control valve control device of the invention controls the stroke of the actuator by feedback control, and is provided with the learning device for learning the neutral position, and learns, at all times, the operation amount of the flow rate control valve (e.g., amount of electric current flowing into the coil of an electromagnetic solenoid) so as to assume the neutral position.
  • the operation amount of the flow rate control valve is corrected by adding the neutral position stored in the learning device to the feedback operation amount, and the position of the valve body in the flow rate control valve is correctly controlled so as to attain a target flow rate. That is, a value of the neutral position that is learned is added as a so-called feedforward value to the control system to compensate for the flow rate characteristics even when the flow rate characteristics are varied, making it possible to avoid deterioration in the response characteristics in the follow-up control of the stroke and to quickly and correctly control the stroke.
  • the device for learning the neutral position of the invention decides that the neutral position is reached when a rate of change in the detection signal of the stroke sensor becomes smaller than a predetermined value.
  • the flow rate control valve When the flow rate control valve is at its neutral position, the working fluid is prevented from being fed into, or discharged from, the actuator; i.e., the stroke of the actuator does not change. Therefore, the neutral position is detected upon detecting the rate of change in the detection signal of the stroke sensor that becomes smaller than the predetermined value.
  • the predetermined value is a value close to zero so that the rate of change in the stroke of the actuator that is zero can be detected, and is set by taking into consideration the disturbance to the detection signal of the stroke sensor.
  • the stroke sensor used for the learning device is a part that has heretofore been used for the control devices for controlling the stroke of the actuator. Therefore, the learning device of the present invention is capable of learning the neutral position without the need of providing any special part. Besides, since only one flow rate control valve is used for the device for controlling the stroke, the control device as a whole can be simply constituted in a compact size.
  • the feedback operation amount output by the PID operation unit is an amount that is proportional to a deviation; i.e., the PID operation unit executes a proportional operation (P-operation).
  • P-operation a proportional operation
  • the invention of claim 3 is applied to the device for controlling the stroke of a clutch actuator that operates the clutch installed between the engine and the transmission in the power transmission device for vehicle.
  • the rate of connecting the clutch of a vehicle must be correctly controlled in a short period of time such as at the time of gear shifting maintaining, particularly, excellent response and stability.
  • the rate of connection of the clutch can be quickly and correctly varied irrespective of secular change in the flow rate control valve, and the clutch can be controlled free of shift shock.
  • the device for learning the neutral position of the invention decides that the neutral position is reached when the rate of change in the detection signal of the stroke sensor becomes smaller than the predetermined value.
  • a state stably continues for a predetermined period of time in which the rate of change in the stroke remains 0 at a position where the clutch is disconnected.
  • the flow rate control valve can be decided to be at its neutral position maintaining good precision.
  • the stroke of the clutch actuator may be detected to be greater than a predetermined stroke which is close to the position of disconnection. At the time of gear shifting, however, the clutch actuator is quickly brought to the position of disconnection, and often comes into collision with a stopper which mechanically limits the stroke.
  • the rate of change becomes zero at the limit stroke.
  • the present invention is applied to the device for controlling the stroke of the clutch actuator, therefore, it is desired that the learning is executed when the stroke is greater than a predetermined stroke but is smaller than the limit stroke as in the invention of claim 4 . This makes it possible to correctly decide the neutral position of the flow rate control valve.
  • FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a device for controlling the stroke of an actuator according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a device for learning the amount of variation in the neutral position according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the device for controlling the stroke of the actuator according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a view showing the constitution of a clutch for a vehicle.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of controlling the stroke of the clutch actuator.
  • FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a conventional device for controlling the clutch actuator.
  • FIG. 7 is a view closely illustrating the operation of a flow rate control valve in the actuator control device.
  • FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating flow rate characteristics of the flow rate control valve.
  • FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a conventional device for controlling the stroke of the actuator.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing changes in the flow rate characteristics of the flow rate control valve.
  • the clutch for vehicles and equipment constituting the stroke control device to which the invention is applied are not particularly different from the conventional devices shown in FIG. 4 and other drawings. That is, the clutch for vehicles operated by the stroke control device of the invention is basically the same as the clutch of FIG. 4 , and is equipped with a clutch actuator 110 for varying the rate of connection of the clutch. A working fluid is fed to the clutch actuator 110 from a fluid pressure source, and the rate of connection of the clutch is determined by the stroke of the actuator, i.e., by the movement of a piston in the clutch actuator 110 .
  • the clutch for vehicles is provided with a stopper 111 which mechanically limits the movement.
  • the stroke of the actuator has a limit stroke.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circuit constitution of the device for controlling the stroke of the clutch.
  • Equipment constituting the circuit of FIG. 1 are the same as those of the conventional counterparts of FIG. 6 with regard to the so-called hardware, and the corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.
  • the stroke control device includes a single flow rate control valve 1 driven by an electromagnetic solenoid, the flow rate control valve 1 being connected to a fluid pressure source 3 such as an air tank, to a clutch actuator 110 and to a discharge passage 5 .
  • a flow rate control valve control device 9 is so constituted as to execute feedback control so that a real stroke follows up a target stroke, and controls the stroke by changing the position of the valve body 6 by varying the amount of electric current to a coil 8 of the electromagnetic solenoid and by feeding and discharging the working fluid into, and from, the clutch actuator 110 .
  • a practical stroke of the clutch actuator 110 i.e., the real stroke is detected by a stroke sensor 7 and its signal is input to the flow rate control valve control device 9 .
  • the flow rate control valve control device 9 is equipped with a device 91 for learning the neutral position.
  • the device 91 for learning the neutral position learns and stores the amount of electric current flowing into the coil 8 , that corresponds to the neutral position of the flow rate control valve 1 , i.e., that corresponds to a position where the flow of the working fluid through the flow rate control valve 1 is cut off.
  • the flow rate control valve 1 is decided to be at its neutral position when the rate of change in the stroke is substantially zero, and the learning is executed.
  • the operation of the device 91 for learning the neutral position will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 2 .
  • the learning device of this embodiment learns the neutral position at a predetermined operation period.
  • a present stroke st(n) is read from a detection signal of the stroke sensor 7 , and it is decided at step S 11 if the stroke st(n) is larger than a predetermined stroke (stA) but is smaller than a mechanical limit stroke (stM) limited by the stopper 111 (see FIG. 5 ).
  • the decision is conducted because of the following reasons.
  • step S 11 the routine proceeds to step 2 to find a rate of change in the stroke.
  • step S 3 it is decided if D (absolute value) is smaller than a predetermined value.
  • the predetermined value has been set to a small value so that even if the detection signal varies to some extent due to disturbance, the rate of change in the stroke that is 0 can be detected.
  • step S 3 If D (absolute value) at step S 3 is larger than the predetermined value, it is regarded that the flow rate control valve 1 is not at its neutral position and the operation ends. If it is decided that D (absolute value) is smaller than the predetermined value, the routine proceeds to step 4 where the device 91 for learning the neutral position learns the amount of electric current flowing into the coil 8 of the electromagnetic solenoid at that moment as the amount of electric current at the neutral position. Upon learning the neutral position as described above, the device 91 for learning the neutral position corrects the value learned thus far (e.g., regards an average value of the past learned value and the learned value of this time as a newly learned value). The flow rate control valve control device 9 uses the updated learned value to control the flow rate control valve 1 .
  • the differentiated value D operated at step S 3 is smaller than a predetermined value, the amount of electric current at that moment is readily detected as the amount of electric current at the neutral position.
  • the differentiated value becomes smaller than the predetermined value consecutively a plurality of number of times, i.e., if the state where the rate of change in the stroke is 0 continues for a predetermined period of time, then a condition is added for learning the amount of electric current in order to improve the accuracy of learning by precluding disturbance and the like effect.
  • the neutral position is learned at the time of gear shifting.
  • the neutral position may be learned while the vehicle is halting by rendering the transmission to be neutral for a brief period of time to cut off the transmission of the engine power and by operating the stroke of the clutch.
  • the stroke control device of the invention is applied to, for example, an actuator for moving the tail gate up and down, the neutral position of the flow rate control valve can be learned at a moment when the tail gate is once stopped for loading or unloading cargos.
  • the length L of the land is greater than the width W of the communication port 2 p
  • an dead zone DZ is present in the flow rate characteristics, and the characteristics become as represented by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8 .
  • the neutral position of the valve body at which the rate of change becomes 0 the working fluid is fed to the actuator and is, thereafter, no longer fed
  • the stroke is increasing
  • the amounts of electric current corresponding to these two neutral positions become the amounts of electric currents at both ends of the dead zone DZ.
  • the amount of the electric current of when the rate of change becomes 0 while the stroke is increasing may be detected separately from the amount of electric current of when the rate of change becomes 0 while the stroke is decreasing, and these amounts may be averaged to find a central point of the neutral positions. Namely, the thus found neutral point may be learned as the above neutral position.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of when the stroke of the clutch actuator is controlled by using the flow rate control valve control device equipped with the neutral position learning device of the present invention.
  • the stroke (rate of connection of the clutch) is controlled so as to vary according to the pattern of FIG. 5 with the passage of time.
  • the flow rate control valve control unit of the flow rate control valve control device 9 is provided with a target stroke-setting means 92 for setting a target stroke of the actuator.
  • the stroke corresponding to the passage of time at the time of gear shifting is set as a target stroke std.
  • the target stroke std is input to a comparator unit 93 .
  • the comparator unit 93 receives, as a feedback amount, a real stroke str which is the practical stroke detected by the stroke sensor 7 , and calculates a deviation e between the target stroke std and the real stroke str.
  • the flow rate control valve control unit includes a PID operation unit 94 which operates the feedback operation amount for operating the valve actuator (electromagnetic solenoid) based on the deviation e that is input.
  • the PID operation unit 94 is so constituted as to execute the proportional operation+integrating operation+differentiating operation, and operates the operation amount proportional to the deviation e, the operation amount proportional to the integration of time, the operation amount proportional to the differentiation of time, and calculates the feedback operation amount by adding them up together.
  • the operation amount proportional to the integration of time is added for removing a steady-state deviation that is remaining, and the operation amount proportional to the differentiation of time is added for improving the response in the control characteristics.
  • the PID operation unit may be simply constituted so as to execute the proportional operation only.
  • the flow rate control valve control device 9 of the present invention is provided with a neutral position learning device 91 which, as described above, learns variation in the neutral position of the flow rate control valve 1 at all times.
  • a learned value of the neutral position is added as a feedforward value to the feedback operation amount that is output from the PID operation unit 94 .
  • the learned value of the neutral position reflects a deviation in the neutral position caused by secular change or the like.
  • Upon feeding the learned value of the neutral position as a feedforward value to the operation amount there can be found the amounts of current I(X) and I(Y) of when the characteristics have varied relative to the same flow rate Q as shown in FIG. 10 . That is, a change in the flow rate characteristics of the flow rate control valve is compensated and a proper operation amount is obtained to achieve a target flow rate.
  • the feedback operation amount to which the learned value of the neutral position is added is input to the driver that feeds an electric current to the electromagnetic solenoid of the valve actuator, and the driver feeds the electric current of an amount corresponding to the added operation amount to the electromagnetic solenoid. Therefore, the valve body in the flow rate control valve 1 is brought to a position corresponding to the feedback operation amount while correcting the amount of variation of the neutral position, and the amount of the working fluid in the clutch actuator 110 and the stroke are properly varied. As a result, the real stroke str is stably and quickly controlled so as to follow up the target stroke std. The varied stroke is detected by the stroke sensor 7 as the real stroke str and is fed back to the comparator unit 93 .
  • the feedback control device for controlling the stroke of the actuator that uses a single flow rate control valve is provided with a learning device for leaning the variation of the neutral position of the flow rate control valve, and the operation amount at the learned neutral position is added to the feedback operation amount to control the flow rate control valve in order to correctly control the stroke of the actuator. Therefore, the present invention can be industrially utilized as a control device for controlling the stroke of not only the clutch actuator of the clutch control device but also of the actuators, in general, such as pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Hydraulic Clutches, Magnetic Clutches, Fluid Clutches, And Fluid Joints (AREA)
  • Servomotors (AREA)
  • Multiple-Way Valves (AREA)
  • Magnetically Actuated Valves (AREA)
  • Flow Control (AREA)
US12/998,114 2008-09-19 2009-09-16 Device for controlling the stroke of an actuator Expired - Fee Related US8863642B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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JP2008-240949 2008-09-19
JP2008240949A JP5386902B2 (ja) 2008-09-19 2008-09-19 アクチュエータのストローク制御装置
PCT/JP2009/066139 WO2010032743A1 (ja) 2008-09-19 2009-09-16 アクチュエータのストローク制御装置

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US8863642B2 true US8863642B2 (en) 2014-10-21

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JP4285553B2 (ja) * 2007-03-20 2009-06-24 いすゞ自動車株式会社 クラッチ制御装置の流量制御弁
JP5625492B2 (ja) * 2010-05-17 2014-11-19 いすゞ自動車株式会社 流量制御弁の制御装置
JP5625491B2 (ja) * 2010-05-17 2014-11-19 いすゞ自動車株式会社 流量制御弁の制御装置
US10185330B2 (en) * 2014-06-30 2019-01-22 Fisher Controls International Llc Methods and systems for adjusting travel sensor alignment on process control valves
JP6554848B2 (ja) * 2015-03-23 2019-08-07 株式会社タダノ 電磁弁の制御装置
US9903395B2 (en) * 2016-02-24 2018-02-27 Mac Valves, Inc. Proportional pressure controller with isolation valve assembly
JP2018031443A (ja) * 2016-08-25 2018-03-01 クノールブレムゼ商用車システムジャパン株式会社 クラッチ制御装置及びクラッチ制御方法
KR101885429B1 (ko) * 2016-08-30 2018-09-10 한국수력원자력 주식회사 위치 전송기 모델을 이용한 공기구동 제어 밸브의 진단 방법 및 장치
JP6753277B2 (ja) * 2016-11-15 2020-09-09 いすゞ自動車株式会社 クラッチ制御装置
JP7427357B2 (ja) * 2017-06-07 2024-02-05 株式会社堀場エステック 流体制御装置、制御プログラム、及び、制御方法
DE102017121194A1 (de) * 2017-09-13 2019-03-14 Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen Gmbh Verfahren zur Einstellung eines Arbeitsaggregates
GB2576797B (en) * 2018-12-21 2021-07-21 Libertine Fpe Ltd Method and system for controlling a free piston mover
JP2021162105A (ja) * 2020-03-31 2021-10-11 ナブテスコ株式会社 流量制御装置、流量制御方法及び流量制御プログラム
CN113324088B (zh) * 2021-06-16 2022-12-13 徐州阿马凯液压技术有限公司 一种液压阀的液控离合手动控制结构
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CN102159836A (zh) 2011-08-17
WO2010032743A1 (ja) 2010-03-25
AU2009293816A1 (en) 2010-03-25
US20110168011A1 (en) 2011-07-14
JP2010071414A (ja) 2010-04-02
CN102159836B (zh) 2014-06-18
JP5386902B2 (ja) 2014-01-15

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